View source for C418

{{Short description|German musician (born 1989)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image             = Daniel Rosenfeld.jpg
| landscape         = no
| alt               =
| caption           = C418 in 2011
| birth_name        = Daniel Rosenfeld
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1989|5|9|df=y}}
| birth_place       = [[Karl-Marx-Stadt]], [[East Germany]]
| occupations       = {{hlist|Musician|composer|producer|[[sound engineer]]}}
| years_active      = 2006–present
| current_member_of = Co-founder of [[Ivy Road]]
| website           = {{URL|c418.org}}
| discography       = [[C418 discography]]
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Ambient music#Ambient|Ambient]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/c418-minecraft-excursions-interview|title=With "Excursions," C418 Moves On From "Minecraft" and Into Original Compositions
|last=Muggs|first=Joe|work=Bandcamp Daily|date=6 September 2018}}</ref>|[[minimal house]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/07/how-daniel-rosenfeld-wrote-minecraft-music|title="How Daniel Rosenfeld wrote Minecraft's music"|last=Stuart|first=Keith|work=The Guardian|date=7 November 2014|access-date=14 December 2016|archive-date=16 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616203842/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/07/how-daniel-rosenfeld-wrote-minecraft-music|url-status=live}}</ref>|[[electronic music|electronic]]}}
| instruments      = {{hlist|[[Digital audio workstation]]|[[synthesizer]]|[[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]]|[[piano]]}}
| label            = [[Ghostly International]]<ref name="ghostly.com">{{cite web|title=C418 – Minecraft Volume Alpha Release Page|url=http://ghostly.com/releases/minecraft-volume-alpha|website=Ghostly.com|access-date=2017-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629204833/http://ghostly.com/releases/minecraft-volume-alpha|archive-date=29 June 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
}}
'''Daniel Rosenfeld''' (born 9 May 1989), known professionally as '''C418''' (pronounced "see four eighteen"),<ref name="pcg">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDI2rHG1Xsc |title=Minecon 2012 – The Music of Minecraft & Minecraft Documentary at 0:27 |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=2012-11-28 |access-date=2017-01-05 |archive-date=27 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127085241/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDI2rHG1Xsc |url-status=live }}</ref> is a German [[musician]], [[Record producer|producer]] and [[sound engineer]]. Known for his minimalistic ambient work, he rose to fame as the former [[composer]] and [[sound designer]] for the sandbox video game ''[[Minecraft]]'' (2011). Acclaimed for its nostalgic value and relaxing quality, his music for the game is considered [[List of video game soundtracks considered the best|one of the greatest video game soundtracks]] composed.
Rosenfeld was first introduced to music production by his brother Harry, and took it up as a hobby. He met game developer [[Markus Persson]] on the online forum TIGSource, and became the sound designer and composer for Persson's project ''Minecraft''. Rosenfeld released the soundtrack albums ''[[Volume Alpha]]'' (2011) and ''[[Volume Beta]]'' (2013) for the game, and scored the documentary ''[[Minecraft: The Story of Mojang]]'' with the album ''[[Minecraft:_The_Story_of_Mojang#Soundtrack|One]]'' (2012). He released the album ''148'' (2015), wrote and produced the theme for ''[[Stranger Things#Beyond Stranger Things|Beyond Stranger Things]]'', and released ''Dief'' (both 2017). He released the studio album ''Excursions'' (2018) and scored the [[Steam (platform)|Steam]] release of ''[[Cookie Clicker]]'' (2021). Rosenfeld co-founded the independent video game studio Ivy Road with developers [[Davey Wreden]] and Karla Zimonja. He is composing the soundtrack for their first game, ''[[Wanderstop]]'' (2025).
In August 2023, he was ranked at #1 on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine's emerging artists chart.<ref name="6;">{{Cite magazine |title=C418 Is No. 1 on Emerging Artists Chart|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/c418-number-1-emerging-artists-chart-minecraft-volume-alpha-soundtrack-1235384434/ |date=2023-08-03|access-date=2024-01-13 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Life and career==
Rosenfeld was born in [[East Germany]] on 9 May 1989.<ref name="bio page">{{cite web |last1=Rosenfield |first1=Daniel |title=Who Is Daniel? |url=https://c418.org/2017/01/25/who-is-daniel/ |date=25 January 2017 |website=C418 |access-date=10 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010151904/https://c418.org/2017/01/25/who-is-daniel/ |archive-date=10 October 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Rosenfeld |first=Daniel |user=C418 |number=598462423088144384 |title=So, uh, how do you change the age of your own Wikipedia page? Do I need to have an interview that says I've been born in 89, not 86? |access-date=2021-08-14 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071220/https://twitter.com/C418/status/598462423088144384 |archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref> His father was a goldsmith, and his family had a musical background before they pursued other careers.<ref name="Kill Screen">{{Cite web |last=Ramsey |first=Chase |date=November 8, 2015 |title=The quiet importance of the ''Minecraft'' soundtrack |url=https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/quiet-importance-minecraft-soundtrack/ |website=[[Kill Screen]] |access-date=October 15, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118224805/https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/quiet-importance-minecraft-soundtrack/ |archivedate=18 November 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> He learned to create music on early versions of Schism Tracker (a popular [[Clone (computing)|clone]] of [[Impulse Tracker]]) and [[Ableton Live]] in the early 2000s, both rudimentary tools at the time.<ref name="Guardian">Keith Stuart, [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/07/how-daniel-rosenfeld-wrote-minecraft-music How Daniel Rosenfeld wrote Minecraft's music] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616203842/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/07/how-daniel-rosenfeld-wrote-minecraft-music |date=16 June 2018 }}, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 7 November 2014.</ref> It was his brother, Harry Rosenfeld, who introduced him to music composition through Impulse Tracker, commenting that "even an idiot" can successfully create music with it.<ref name="bio page"/><ref name="pcg"/> His brother was also known as C818, from which he chose the name C418, claiming that the name is "really cryptic and doesn't actually mean anything."<ref>{{cite web|author=BebopVox|title=C418 INTERVIEW, Minecraft Music & Sound Composer|work=[[YouTube]]|date=12 May 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3DAAbwT6ak&t=75s|access-date=26 March 2018|archive-date=15 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215171356/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3DAAbwT6ak&t=75s|url-status=live}}</ref> Rosenfeld has also stated that he was "mediocre at school," but learning basic music theory and English came easy to him.<ref name="bio page"/>
=== 2002–2009: Career beginnings ===
Rosenfeld started releasing music on [[Bandcamp]] after [[Danny Baranowsky]] suggested releasing his music on the site.<ref>{{Citation|title=Minecon 2012 - The Music of Minecraft & Minecraft Documentary at 17:34| date=28 November 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDI2rHG1Xsc|language=en|access-date=2021-07-07|archive-date=27 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127085241/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDI2rHG1Xsc|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, Rosenfeld started a blog known as "Blödsinn am Mittwoch" (<small>English: "Silliness on Wednesday"</small>),<ref name=":0a">{{Cite web|last=Rosenfeld|first=Daniel|date=27 January 2017|title=Bushes and Marshmallows|url=https://c418.org/albums/bushes-and-marshmallows/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107004955/https://c418.org/albums/bushes-and-marshmallows/|archive-date=7 November 2017|access-date=2 November 2017|website=C418.org}}</ref> where he posted a new song every week. This was around the same time when he became interested in game development and audio, which resulted in him joining the indie game development forum [[TIGSource]], where he became involved with numerous smaller games and game developers.<ref name="bio page"/> Among them, Rosenfeld unofficially released the soundtracks of ''Zombie Dog in Crazyland'' and ''Mubbly Tower'' on an old blog.<ref>{{Citation|title=Mubbly Tower soundtrack on C418 old blog|url=http://c418.org/archives/76|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120171138/http://c418.org/archives/76|language=en|access-date=2021-10-20|archive-date=20 November 2010}}</ref> Later, Rosenfeld started making albums and releasing them on his blog and Bandcamp, as a hobby.<ref name="bio page"/>
His first release was the 2007 EP ''BPS'', and shortly thereafter, in 2008, he challenged himself to make a studio album as quickly as possible, for fun, prioritizing quantity over quality, ''The Whatever Director's Cut'' was released on his blog as BAM #30 and on his Bandcamp,<ref>{{Citation|title=The Whatever Director's Cut on Bandcamp.|url=http://c418.org/archives/58|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120205539/http://c418.org/archives/58|language=en|access-date=2021-10-20|archive-date=20 November 2010}}</ref> where it was available until it was removed in 2013, due to Rosenfeld's dislike of the album.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.reddit.com/r/C418/comments/5lvdfy/comment/dbziygn/ | title=R/C418 - Comment by u/C418 on "Any information about C418's 'The Whatever Director's Cut'?" | date=4 January 2017 }}</ref>
Also in 2008, Rosenfeld released ''Mixes'', a 25-minute medley containing remixes of songs previously posted on the blog, also were released the EP ''Sine'', and his second studio album ''Zweitonegoismus'', the album expressed his feelings working in an assembly line factory. Rosenfeld showed the album to his co-worker prior to releasing it, in which they asked "why the hell [he was] still working there".<ref>{{Cite web|title=zweitonegoismus|url=https://c418.org/albums/zweitonegoismus/|access-date=2021-07-15|website=C418|language=en-US|archive-date=2 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502054255/https://c418.org/albums/zweitonegoismus/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== 2009–2013: ''Minecraft'', becoming a freelance composer, and ''One'' ===
{{See also|Minecraft – Volume Alpha}}
In early 2009, Rosenfeld began collaborating with the ''[[Minecraft]]'' creator [[Markus Persson|Markus "Notch" Persson]] through TIGSource.<ref name="bio page"/> Rosenfeld was responsible for the sound effects and music in Persson's work-in-progress video game ''Minecraft''. The sound engine in the still early [[Java language|Java]] game was not very powerful, so Rosenfeld had to be creative in his approach to creating sound effects and music.<ref name="Guardian" />
In January 2010, fourth studio album ''A Cobblers Tee Thug'', a collaborative work with Rosenfeld's friend Sohnemann was released.<ref name=":1b">{{Cite web|title=A Cobblers Tee Thug, by C418|url=https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/a-cobblers-tee-thug|access-date=2021-10-20|website=C418|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020153741/https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/a-cobblers-tee-thug|url-status=live}}</ref> Made in the few days they spent together in the New Year, and they challenged each other, for fun, to make a full-length LP together in those days.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=A Cobblers Tee Thug on C418.org.|url=https://c418.org/albums/a-cobblers-tee-thug/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=C418|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020054515/https://c418.org/albums/a-cobblers-tee-thug/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:C418 - circle - 06 depado.flac|thumb|The sixth soundtrack from ''circle'' named ''depado'']]
The album ''circle'' was released in March 2010, originally created in 2008, it was intended as the soundtrack for an unpublished indie game bearing the same name, created by an unknown developer.<ref>{{Cite news|title=circle|language=en-US|work=C418|url=https://c418.org/albums/circle/|url-status=live|access-date=2017-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107024705/https://c418.org/albums/circle/|archive-date=7 November 2017}}</ref>
In August 2010, Rosenfeld released ''Life Changing Moments Seem Minor in Pictures''. The album was recorded while Rosenfeld was still residing within Germany,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=life changing moments seem minor in pictures|url=https://c418.org/albums/life-changing-moments-seem-minor-in-pictures/|access-date=2021-07-17|website=C418|language=en-US|archive-date=15 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715041939/https://c418.org/albums/life-changing-moments-seem-minor-in-pictures/|url-status=live}}</ref> and at the time of releasing the album, Rosenfeld was requested to work for military services after quitting his job, in which he instead did other labour.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1416057262616059909|user=C418|title=As I released the album, as if it was cursed or something, the German government forced me to join the military (wh…<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=2021-07-17|language=en|date=16 July 2021}}</ref> The album also contains the original soundtrack to ''Ezo'', a game Rosenfeld independently developed for [[Ludum Dare]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ezo by C418 {{!}} Ludum Dare 16|url=http://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-16/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-21|language=en-US|archive-date=21 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821000730/http://ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-16/}}</ref>
In 2011 a series of compilation albums with songs from various projects were released on Bandcamp for free, including ''Little Things'',<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=little things, by C418|url=https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/little-things|access-date=2021-10-20|website=C418|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020054514/https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/little-things|url-status=live}}</ref> ''I Forgot Something, Didn't I.''<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=I forgot something, didn't I., by C418|url=https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/i-forgot-something-didnt-i|access-date=2021-10-20|website=C418|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020054514/https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/i-forgot-something-didnt-i|url-status=live}}</ref> (a B-side to ''72 Minutes of Fame''), and ''Seven Years of Server Data''.<ref name=":1c">{{Cite web|title=Seven Years of Server Data, by C418|url=https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/seven-years-of-server-data|access-date=2021-10-20|website=C418|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020153741/https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/seven-years-of-server-data|url-status=live}}</ref>
While still working on ''Minecraft'' as a freelance artist, Rosenfeld was not on staff at [[Mojang]],<ref name="kotaku">Luke Plunkett, [http://kotaku.com/5779319/the-soothing-sounds-of-minecraft The Soothing Sounds Of...Minecraft?], Kotaku.com, 9 March 2011.</ref> the company behind ''Minecraft''. Rosenfeld still owns the rights to all his music in the game,<ref name="Polygon">{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie  |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/18/6351607/minecrafts-composer-discusses-mojang-unreleased-game-notchs-departure |title=Minecraft's composer discusses Mojang's unreleased game, Notch's departure |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629155227/http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/18/6351607/minecrafts-composer-discusses-mojang-unreleased-game-notchs-departure|archive-date=29 June 2018 |date=18 September 2014 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> and has released two albums featuring songs from the [[Music of Minecraft|''Minecraft'' soundtrack]].<ref name="kotaku" /> The first soundtrack, ''[[Minecraft – Volume Alpha]]'', was digitally released on 4 March 2011 on his Bandcamp page.
Later that year, when ''Minecraft'' became available to the general public as an early access title, it rapidly became popular. Rosenfeld, who up until that point had worked at an assembly line for a company in [[Stollberg]], could now pursue music as his primary source of income.<ref name="bio page"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Selent |first=Christian |date=2020-02-01 |title=Von Blöcken und Platten |trans-title=Of Blocks and Slabs |url=https://www.371stadtmagazin.de/magazin/magazin-alle-artikel/von-blocken-und-platten/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929203041/https://www.371stadtmagazin.de/magazin/magazin-alle-artikel/von-blocken-und-platten/ |archive-date=2022-09-29 |access-date=2023-06-11 |website=371 Stadtmagazin {{!}} Das Magazin für Chemnitz |language=de}}</ref> This inspired his 2011 studio album, ''72 Minutes of Fame''. The content of this album mostly revolves around this lifestyle-defining moment in Rosenfeld's life.<ref>{{Cite news|title=72 Minutes Of Fame|language=en-US|work=C418|url=https://c418.org/albums/72-minutes-of-fame/|url-status=live|access-date=2017-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203258/https://c418.org/albums/72-minutes-of-fame/|archive-date=28 August 2018}}</ref> This album was the first of Rosenfeld's works to have a physical release. ''[[The Guardian]]'' has compared his compositions to those of [[Brian Eno]] and [[Erik Satie]] because of their minimalistic, ambient quality.<ref name="Guardian" />
Almost half a year later, production on a documentary of the development of ''Minecraft'' started, titled ''[[Minecraft: The Story of Mojang]]''. Rosenfeld was requested to create the soundtrack for this documentary, which was included on his 2012 album, ''One''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rosenfeld|first1=Daniel|title=one – C418|url=http://c418.org/albums/one/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617154845/http://c418.org/albums/one/|archive-date=17 June 2020|access-date=17 June 2020|website=C418.org}}</ref> ''[[Vice (website)|Vice]]'' called it a "gleeful and unobtrusive collection of short melodic instrumentals that skip around daintily like cute little bashful kittens, but with a dark self-deprecating humour lurking beneath".<ref>{{Cite web |author=Noisey Staff |date=August 25, 2015 |title=The 15 Albums That Will Make You Less Shit at Doing Work |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/6wqzq5/fifteen-albums-we-promise-will-help-you-get-your-shit-together-and-do-your-work |access-date=5 August 2024 |website=[[Vice (website)|Vice]]}}</ref>
=== 2013–2016: ''Minecraft - Volume Beta'', ''0x10<sup>c</sup>,'' and other independent projects ===
{{See also|Minecraft – Volume Beta}}
On 9 November 2013, Rosenfeld released the second album of the official soundtrack for ''Minecraft'', titled ''[[Minecraft - Volume Beta]]''. Many of the new songs were being added into features of the game that were not present when the first batch of music was produced; i.e. the Nether or the End.<ref name="Bandcamp2">{{cite web|url=http://c418.bandcamp.com/album/minecraft-volume-beta|title=''Minecraft'' Volume Beta on Bandcamp|date=9 November 2013|access-date=9 November 2013|archive-date=9 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109190435/http://c418.bandcamp.com/album/minecraft-volume-beta|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the soundtrack was released in physical format with [[Ghostly International]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minecraft Volume Beta|url=https://ghostly.com/products/minecraft-volume-beta|access-date=2021-05-01|website=ghostly.com|language=en|archive-date=13 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313024229/https://ghostly.com/products/minecraft-volume-beta|url-status=live}}</ref> and reprints of the ''Minecraft - Volume Alpha'' physical releases were also released. The ''Volume Beta'' releases consisted of a double CD edition of the album, a vinyl record which came in black and a red "fire" splatter color, and a limited edition of the vinyl pressed on a magenta translucent material<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minecraft - Volume Beta, by C418|url=https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/minecraft-volume-beta|access-date=2021-05-01|website=C418|archive-date=11 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711225432/https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/minecraft-volume-beta|url-status=live}}</ref> which was at first exclusive to [[Europe]] but was later re-pressed internationally.
Persson and Rosenfeld worked together again after ''Minecraft''{{'}}s success on the creation of a new game, titled ''[[0x10c|0x10<sup>c</sup>]].'' The game was never released, with Persson halting production indefinitely in August 2013.
In 2014, Rosenfeld released an EP containing the music made for ''0x10<sup>c</sup>''. It was released digitally with little publicity; Rosenfeld only sent out a [[Twitter|tweet]] saying that it was available.<ref name="PC Gamer">Andy Chalk, [http://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-composer-releases-0x10c-tracks-muses-on-notchs-departure-from-mojang/ Minecraft composer releases 0x10c tracks, muses on Notch's departure from Mojang] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023172300/http://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-composer-releases-0x10c-tracks-muses-on-notchs-departure-from-mojang/ |date=23 October 2019 }}, PC Gamer, 17 September 2014.</ref>
In 2015, Rosenfeld released ''148'', which much like ''72 Minutes of Fame'' carried a significant amount of personal content, albeit slightly more hidden under lyrics and effects.<ref>{{Cite news|title=148|language=en-US|work=C418|url=https://c418.org/albums/148/|url-status=live|access-date=2017-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107024906/https://c418.org/albums/148/|archive-date=7 November 2017}}</ref>
Later that year, ''Minecraft - Volume Alpha'' soundtrack was released on a physical format on [[Ghostly International]].<ref name="ghostly.com" /> This release consisted of a regular CD edition of the album, a vinyl edition which came with a code for a digital copy of the album, and a limited edition of the album pressed on green translucent vinyl.<ref>{{cite web|title=C418 Bandcamp|url=https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/minecraft-volume-alpha|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726000924/https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/minecraft-volume-alpha|archive-date=26 July 2018|access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref>
Daniel Rosenfeld first revealed the development of [[Music_of_Minecraft#Unreleased C418 Volume Final album|his third original soundtrack album for ''Minecraft'']] in a 2015 interview with ''[[Fact_(UK_magazine)|Fact Magazine]]'', commenting, "I'll still work on ''Minecraft'', so there'll probably be another album. In fact, it's gonna be more ambient than the others, just as an experiment."<ref name="FACT2">{{Cite web |date=5 September 2015 |title=Can You Dig It: FACT meets Minecraft composer C418 |url=http://www.factmag.com/2015/09/05/minecraft-c418-interview/ |access-date=21 March 2018 |website=FACT Magazine}}</ref> He also noted listeners' own applications of his previous works, remarking, "I'm interested in seeing how people use music as a [[sleep aid]], so I think on the next album I might put a bonus track on there that's just 15 minutes of complete ambience and see what people think."<ref name="FACT2"/> Rosenfeld again expressed interest in composing an ambient bonus track for the album in a tweet posted in December of that year.<ref name="considersambience">{{Cite tweet|number=677875544386486272|user=C418|title=still considering an ambient track|author=Daniel Rosenfeld|date=18 December 2015|access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref>
=== 2016–2021: ''2 Years of Failure'', ''Excursions'', and further independent music ===
Rosenfeld released ''2 Years of Failure'' in 2016, a Bandcamp exclusive compilation album of music made for failed projects or songs that could not fit anywhere else.<ref name="2yrs">{{Cite web|title=2 years of failure|url=https://c418.org/albums/2-years-of-failure/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520061512/https://c418.org/albums/2-years-of-failure/|archive-date=20 May 2019|access-date=2019-01-14|work=C418|language=en-US}}</ref> Several songs in this album were made for an abandoned game Rosenfeld described as having a "...Japanese puzzle exchange..." vibe. This album also contains the original soundtrack for Crayon Physics.<ref name="2yrs" /> Most notably, this album contains C418's remix of the ''[[Stranger Things]]'' theme song, which had staggering popularity in 2018. It was the most played song on Rosenfeld's personal [[SoundCloud]] page until it was removed<ref>{{Cite web|title=u/SkyPG24 on r/C418 - Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/C418/comments/hu59wj/hey_err_what_happened_to_c418s_soundcloud_and_why/fym0par|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-14|website=reddit|date=19 July 2020|language=en-US|archive-date=6 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206181144/https://www.reddit.com/r/C418/comments/hu59wj/hey_err_what_happened_to_c418s_soundcloud_and_why/fym0par}}</ref> along with several other tracks due to a lapsed SoundCloud Pro subscription.<ref>{{Cite web|title=C418|url=https://www.soundcloud.com/C418|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508135548/https://soundcloud.com/c418|archive-date=8 May 2019|access-date=15 January 2019|website=Soundcloud}}</ref> [[Netflix]] would go on to use his version as the theme music for the [[aftershow]] ''[[Beyond Stranger Things]]''.<ref name="Beyond Stranger Things">{{cite AV media |people=The Duffer Brothers |date=27 October 2017 |title= Beyond Stranger Things |medium=Television production|publisher=Netflix}}</ref>
He released ''Dief'' in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dief|url=https://c418.org/albums/dief/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921034916/https://c418.org/albums/dief/|archive-date=21 September 2018|access-date=15 January 2019|work=C418}}</ref> The songs of this album were created and used as a soundtrack for an informative talk given at the [[Game Developers Conference]] 2017 by [[Teddy Dief]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Still Grooving: Game Dev Life Set to Live Music| date=17 August 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1gdAKEqEpI|language=en|access-date=2021-07-07|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709201045/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1gdAKEqEpI|url-status=live}}</ref>
In a 2017 tweet, the musician confirmed his third ''Minecraft'' soundtrack album's existence and said that it was set for future release, but that work on it at that point was "still far from done". Rosenfeld additionally stated that the record would be longer than the previous two albums combined, which in total clocks in at over 3 hours and 18 minutes.<ref name="Twitter2">{{Cite tweet|number=829667788897783809|user=C418|title=I'm still far from done, but I tallied up a few numbers, and the third Minecraft soundtrack is gonna be longer than Alpha and Beta combined.|author=Daniel Rosenfeld|date=9 February 2017|access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref> Rosenfeld additionally confirmed on Twitter that the third album will not be called "''Minecraft - Volume Gamma''", deviating from the [[Greek Alphabet]] naming convention used in the previous two Minecraft albums he composed.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=822673435147046912|user=C418|title=@the379thhero nope<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=21 January 2017}}</ref>
After the "Update Aquatic" Minecraft update of 2018, three new songs were added to the game as underwater music.<ref>{{cite web |title=Music |url=https://minecraft.wiki/w/Music |access-date=24 September 2023 |work=Minecraft Wiki |language=en}}</ref> These songs – "Dragon Fish", "Shuniji", "Axolotl" – were released by Rosenfeld respectively on 9 August, 10 November, and 12 December 2018, on [[Spotify]] as singles. All of them are to be included in the third album. Of the work Rosenfeld did on the third volume, he commented, "When I started making a third minecraft album, I didn't expect it to have this much work involved. I think I'm seeing the end of the tunnel?"<ref name="tunnel">{{Cite tweet |number=822665970615521280|user=C418| title=When I started making a third minecraft album, I didn't expect it to have this much work involved. I think I'm seeing the end of the tunnel?}}</ref>
On 20 July 2018, Rosenfeld announced a studio album, ''Excursions'', with the release of its lead single, "Beton".<ref name="excursions">{{Cite magazine|last=Bein|first=Kat|date=2018-07-19|title=Minecraft Composer C418 Shares Lead Single 'Beton' Off Upcoming Album: Exclusive|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8466181/c418-beton-minecraft-composer|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719181448/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8466181/c418-beton-minecraft-composer|archive-date=19 July 2018|access-date=10 December 2018|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Its second single, "Thunderbird", was released on 20 August 2018.<ref>{{cite news|title=Premiere: Minecraft Composer C418 Releases Sprawling, Synth Track "Thunderbird"|url=https://www.magneticmag.com/2018/08/premiere-minecraft-composer-c418-thunderbird-album-excursions/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820235422/https://www.magneticmag.com/2018/08/premiere-minecraft-composer-c418-thunderbird-album-excursions/|archive-date=20 August 2018|access-date=20 August 2018|work=Magnetic}}</ref> The album was released on 7 September 2018.<ref>{{cite web|author=Bruce-Jones, Henry|date=20 July 2018|title=Minecraft composer C418 announces new album Excursions|url=http://www.factmag.com/2018/07/20/minecraft-composer-c418-announces-new-album/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720151526/http://www.factmag.com/2018/07/20/minecraft-composer-c418-announces-new-album/|archive-date=20 July 2018|access-date=20 July 2018|work=[[Fact (UK magazine)|Fact]]}}</ref> Multiple tracks on ''Excursions'' are named after cafes in [[Austin, Texas]], where Rosenfeld currently lives as of 2017.{{fact|date=September 2023}}{{needs update|date=September 2023}}
''Excursions'' was released on CD and a limited vinyl LP by Driftless Recordings in January 2019<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-07-20|title=Minecraft composer C418 announces new album Excursions|url=https://www.factmag.com/2018/07/20/minecraft-composer-c418-announces-new-album/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005081022/http://www.factmag.com/2018/07/20/minecraft-composer-c418-announces-new-album/|archive-date=5 October 2018|access-date=2019-03-15|website=FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music.|language=en-US}}</ref> and reprinted in 2021 for CD and Vinyl.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Rosenfeld |first=Daniel |user=C418 |number=1033133975701573632 |date=24 August 2018 |title=Hi friends! Wanna preorder Excursions on Vinyl or CD? You can do that, right now! They're super gorgeous. https://t.co/Kp1XboF0tE |language=en |access-date=12 July 2021}}</ref>
In 2020, after the announcement of the addition of Steve to the game, his work was not included in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' for various undisclosed reasons, though one explanation given was it being too calm for fighting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF1W3eI-p5o|title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Mr. Sakurai Presents "Steve & Alex"|website=Nintendo YouTube channel|date=3 October 2020 |language=ja|access-date=18 October 2020|archive-date=10 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010043459/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF1W3eI-p5o|url-status=live}}</ref> Tracks other composers made for Minecraft Legacy Console Edition, [[Minecraft Dungeons]], and [[Minecraft Earth]] were added instead.
On 8 January 2021, Rosenfeld was asked in an interview with [[Anthony Fantano]] whether or not the third volume of the soundtrack was still in production. Rosenfeld responded, saying, "I have something—I consider it finished—but things have become complicated, especially as ''Minecraft'' is now a big property, so I don't know."<ref>{{Cite interview |last=Rosenfeld |first=Daniel |interviewer=[[Anthony Fantano]] |title=10 Years of the Minecraft Soundtrack {{pipe}} C418 INTERVIEW |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mn47MqhbFY |work=The Needle Drop |date=8 January 2021 |author-link=C418 |via=[[YouTube]] |time=31:40}}</ref>
In May 2021, Rosenfeld released ''Branching Out''.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1394362662931374083|user=C418|title=this was a cute little project I worked on. Dayton is a lovely human!<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=2021-08-24|language=en|date=17 May 2021}}</ref> The EP contains the soundtrack to ''Branch'', a [[Video conference|video conferencing]] software by Dayton Mills.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1394148127402168324|user=daytonmills|title=Branching out by @C418 for @branch_gg The music of Minecraft shaped a decade of our lives. My experiences in this…<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=2021-08-24|language=en|date=17 May 2021}}</ref>
=== 2021–present: ''Cookie Clicker'' and founding Ivy Road ===
On 16 June 2021, Rosenfeld announced on Twitter that his album from 11 years prior, ''Life Changing Moments Seem Minor in Pictures'' would be remastered and released onto major streaming platforms. The album prior to the re-release was only available on Bandcamp.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1416056924139933696|user=C418|title=Hey y'all! Life Changing Moments is finally streaming on all platforms! This is a record that's very dear to me, be…<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=16 July 2021}}</ref><ref name=":2" />
In July 2021, Rosenfeld, along with [[Davey Wreden]], Karla Zimonja and [[Annapurna Interactive]] announced the launch of Ivy Road, a game studio founded by the trio.<ref name="NMEAN">{{Cite web |last=Wen |first=Alan |url=https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/minecraft-gone-home-and-stanley-parable-devs-start-new-studio-ivy-road-3007137 |title='Minecraft', 'Gone Home' and 'Stanley Parable' devs start new studio Ivy Road |date=July 30, 2021 |website=[[NME]] |access-date=June 9, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title='Stanley Parable' and 'Gone Home' devs team up to form Ivy Road studio|url=https://www.engadget.com/davey-wreden-karla-zimonja-stanley-parable-gone-home-ivy-road-annapurna-interactive-194504904.html|access-date=2021-07-31|website=Engadget|date=29 July 2021 |language=en-US|archive-date=31 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731035006/https://www.engadget.com/davey-wreden-karla-zimonja-stanley-parable-gone-home-ivy-road-annapurna-interactive-194504904.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The studio revealed they were working on a then-untitled game, which Rosenfeld composed the music for.
Following the announcement of the launch of Ivy Road, in August 2021 Rosenfeld announced that he had worked on a soundtrack for the [[Steam (service)|Steam]] release of the 2013 game ''[[Cookie Clicker]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Prescott |first=Shaun |date=2021-08-09 |title=Cookie Clicker is coming to Steam |language=en |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/cookie-clicker-is-coming-to-steam/ |access-date=2022-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Joshua|first=Orpheus|date=2021-08-08|title=Cookie Clicker Releasing For Steam Next Month With Numerous Enhancements; Potential Game Of The Year - Noisy Pixel|url=https://noisypixel.net/cookie-clicker-releasing-for-steam-next-month-with-numerous-enhancements-potential-game-of-the-year/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-09|language=en-US|archive-date=8 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808203337/https://noisypixel.net/cookie-clicker-releasing-for-steam-next-month-with-numerous-enhancements-potential-game-of-the-year/}}</ref> In September 2021, Rosenfeld released the soundtrack.<ref name=":0">{{cite tweet|number=1424444383223435266|user=C418|title=In case you missed it, I’ve worked on a brand new soundtrack for Cookie Clicker 🍪<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date=2021-08-09|language=en|date=8 August 2021}}</ref>
On 13 March 2022, Rosenfeld performed a [[DJ set]] with [[Anamanaguchi]] for their ''Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Soundtrack'' tour.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Anamanaguchi - Scott Pilgrim VS The World The Game Soundtrack: The Tour @ Emo's Austin - Mar 13 |url=https://emosaustin.frontgatetickets.com/event/0021wxx5c71ok7fo |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=Front Gate Tickets |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=C418 on Twitter: "Hey friends!!! I'll be joining @anamanaguchi on their Scott Pilgrim tour in Austin!" |url=https://twitter.com/c418/status/1498861301900136451 |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>
In August 2022, Northway Games released ''[[I Was a Teenage Exocolonist]]''. Rosenfeld and other fellow musical artists collaborated in composing the soundtrack to the game. His contribution was the piece "Quiet."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/northwaygames/status/1557058455113834496 |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>
In June 2024, Annapurna and Ivy Road announced their game as ''[[Wanderstop]]'', a tea brewing simulator.<ref name="EU">{{Cite web |last=Castle |first=Katharine |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/stanley-parable-and-tacoma-creators-fight-back-against-onslaught-of-coffee-games-with-tea-themed-wanderstop |title=Stanley Parable and Tacoma creators fight back against onslaught of coffee games with tea-themed Wanderstop |date=June 7, 2024 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=June 7, 2024 }}</ref><ref name="PC">{{Cite web |last=Morton |first=Lauren |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/the-stanley-parable-developer-s-next-game-is-a-cozy-tea-shop-game-where-it-looks-lik-you-have-som-trauma-to-process-actually/ |title=The Stanley Parable developer's next game is a cozy tea shop sim where you have some trauma to process, actually |date=June 7, 2024 |website=[[PC Gamer]] |access-date=June 7, 2024 }}</ref> It is set for release in early 2025.<ref name="delay">{{Cite web |last=Parijat |first=Shubhankar |date=October 8, 2024 |title=Wanderstop Delayed to Early 2025 |url=https://gamingbolt.com/wanderstop-delayed-to-early-2025 |website=Gaming Bolt |access-date=October 8, 2024 }}</ref>
== Personal life and views ==
==Discography==
{{main|C418 discography}}
* ''The Whatever Director's Cut'' (2008)
* ''Zweitonegoismus'' (2008)
* ''Bushes and Marshmallows'' (2009)
* ''A Cobblers Tee Thug'' (2010) [with Sohnemann]
* ''Circle'' (2010)
* ''Life Changing Moments Seem Minor in Pictures'' (2010)
* ''[[Minecraft – Volume Alpha]]'' (2011)
* ''72 Minutes of Fame'' (2011)
* ''[[Minecraft:_The_Story_of_Mojang#Soundtrack|One]]'' (2012)
* ''[[Minecraft – Volume Beta]]'' (2013)
* ''148'' (2015)
* ''Dief'' (2017)
* ''Excursions'' (2018)
* ''[[Wanderstop]]'' (soundtrack) (2025)
==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Type
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Minecraft: The Story of Mojang]]''
| Paul Owens
| Documentary<ref>{{cite web|publisher=2 Player Productions|title=Minecraft: The Story of Mojang|url=http://www.minecraftstoryofmojang.com/|access-date=13 April 2018|archive-date=10 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410122328/http://www.minecraftstoryofmojang.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Beyond Stranger Things]]''
| Michael Dempsey
| Television series<ref name="Beyond Stranger Things"/>
|-
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Official website|http://c418.org}}
* {{IMDb name|1387112|Daniel Rosenfeld}}
{{Mojang}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1989 births]]
[[Category:German ambient musicians]]
[[Category:Chiptune and tracker musicians]]
[[Category:German audio engineers]]
[[Category:German expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:German male musicians]]
[[Category:German people of Russian descent]]
[[Category:German video game composers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Video game musicians]]